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rejections from all 4 universities for medicine. what to do next? help please!!!

Posted: 28 Mar 2014 01:47 PM PDT

Hi there everyone! I'm 19 yrs old and I want to study medicine at university. I completed my A-levels in August 2013 and took a gap year after that because I came to the UK in 2011 and wanted to be a home student before I applied to any university. I have achieved AAAB in Chemistry, Maths, Biology and Physics respectively. During my gap year I have worked at a GP surgery as a receptionist for two weeks, at a care home as a carer's assistant for 6 months and with children with special needs throughout the year. I applied for medicine at KCL, Queen mary , Newcastle and Brighton for 2014 entry. I unfortunately got a rejection from all of them and had an interview at Brighton but got a rejection from there as well.
I have an unconditional offer to study biomedical at UCL. I really really want to study medicine. I am very confused and was hoping if any one could help me out and give me some advice. Should I accept the offer to study biomedical at UCL and then apply for graduate medicine or should I take another year out and apply for medicine again this October for September 2015? Even if I do take another year out it would be my second time applying for medicine but do universities consider this?
And if later on I apply for graduate medicine do I get to apply for student finance or do I have to fund the course myself?
All advice and suggestions are welcomed.
Thank you for your time.

GAMSAT essays

Posted: 28 Mar 2014 07:28 AM PDT

Hello there,

As I am sitting the GAMSAT Sept 2014, my study programme is in full swing. A large part of that programme is writing essays! I think that my ability is increasing and I am more able to think of ideas but is hoping that there is someone out there that may be able to give me some feedback. I have had a few essays graded with a 50, 57, 59, 60 so slowly but surely they appear to be improving. Would anyone care to comment on this one? Thanx :)

No-gotiate

Let us never negotiate out of fear. But never let us fear to negotiate.

Negotiation is a dialogue between two parties whose goal is to meet in middle ground. Often both parties will compromise (make adjustments) their ideals and the situation will end up as a best fit scenario. All persons from all walks of life will need to compromise at some stage in their life. Sometimes accepting smaller, less significant defeats might mean larger success overall- but the key is knowing when to negotiate and when to hold fast to those ideals.

Nelson Mandela came to be known as one of the world's most influential leaders. He rose of of a small village, Qunu, nestled in the heartland of South Africa. As a brave individual, he lead and co-ordinated and underground movement in opposition to the Apartheid regime; a cause that he and his counterparts were willing to risk their lives for. They knew very well the brutality of the ruling system and that by refusing to compromise their beliefs and ideals, consequences would be severe. Indeed they were. Many paid with torture, imprisonment and death. Mandela himself was imprisoned and treated abhorrently on Roben Island for 27 years, but this blanket of fear that enveloped him was never enough to break his convictions. Sticking fastidiously to his ideals resulted in triumph for him, his followers and South Africa as a nation.

The above example illustrates a man NOT negotiating under extreme fear and pressure however wisdom and history reports that sometimes negotiation may be an appropriate and a reasonable course of action to follow. But in what circumstances? Currently, all eyes are on the situation unfolding in Crimea and Vladimir Putin is being scrutinised in his role as an oligarch of Russia. The G8 have responded to Putin's actions (of forcefully invading Crimea) by ousting him for the group (they are now called the G7). However, has this been to hasty a decision? From the G8 platform communication pathways would be open and other world leaders would have the opportunity to reason and negotiate with Putin on these matters. As it stands, Putin is now completely alienated and is keeping the world guessing about his next moves. His unknown actions are instilling fear in all those glued to the situation, not to mention the residents of Crimea and Ukraine. The quote 'Keep your friends close but your enemies closer' springs to mind- but this certainly would require negotiation by other world leaders.

In conclusion, let fear not be the driving force of decision making, but let strong convictions guide you like and arrow to its target. It took almost a whole life time but Mandela achieved an outcome that seemed impossible at the time. He held firm to his values and did not let fear wear him down. On the other hand negotiation might be useful when dealing with world powers who have a set agenda and pose potential threats. A compromise might result in less overall damage and could be one way of dealing with the situation peacefully. Paradoxically, this essay suggest negotiation can be a weakness and a strength. The key is knowing when to negotiate and when to hold fast to ideals.